1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a device for applying heat-transferrable decalcomania to a curved container surface, and more particularly, to an improvement in the positioning of the heating element against the decalcomania and the surface by a novel tightening band.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to apply a heat-transferrable decalcomania, commonly known as a decal, to articles positioned on flat surfaces. It is also known to apply such decals to curved surfaces so long as uniform pressure and temperature is applied over the entire expanse of the decal and, in turn, over the cylindrical surface overlaid with the decal. For example, rigid, bulky, heated and curved metal castings have been used to engage one side of the surface of a mug, and in some instances two such castings have been hinged together to encompass opposite sides of the mug.
It is also a part of the prior art to utilize a flexible blanket with a contained heater to encircle a curved surface article such as a mug so that when the blanket is tightened it snugly engages the surface and enables the transfer of the design from the decal to the mug surface when the heater is activated. Such blankets provide satisfactory results, however, tensioning the blanket sometimes is less than fully satisfactory since the blanket either slides along the mug surface, thus damaging the decal, or it does not uniformly engage with radial pressure the entire curved surface of the mug to be printed. Thus there is a need to utilize another component to effectively press the blanket and its contained heater uniformly against the mug curved surface in order to effect totally satisfactory application of decals.